(Sorry, this is long)
I couldn't help myself and had to lather all of them to really get the scents. I am on a 3017 stint with a sample of Stirling Spice so didn't shave with any but can't wait to.
WOW they are amazing!!!
Looking at the containers I was thinking I'd have to transfer to a bowl of some kind to load a brush but for tonight just wanted to waken up the scents so squiggled my brush on the little 1" diameter opening for maybe 15 seconds. I was expecting to wipe around some minimal suds in the lather bowl and then HOLY CRAP, I seriously got enough lather for probably a 2 pass shave! This is what I've read the MdC guys talk about but I couldn't believe it until I saw it. John has done an amazing job on the soap.
The scents are fantastic as well. They all have a high quality feel to the scents. I suspect that has something to do with the use of EO instead of FO. If that's the case it shows and it's worth it, in my opinion. If it has nothing to do with that then John is even more talented with scents than my notes below reflect.
Here are my short and untrained notes/thoughts. They're also in order of my current preference. That could easily change as I get to using all of them for shaving.
Vanilla/eucalyptus/mint is the most pleasing to me initially, and not surprisingly since all three of those are things I enjoy the scent of. I really like it. The eucalyptus seemed to take over, or maybe is just the only one to remain, while lathering it. All three seemed pretty equal smelling right off the soap.
The woody lavender is a surprise, I could see myself really latching onto that one when I spend some more time with it.
I fully expected to dislike Topanga Fougère but it was very interesting and could go either way. By either way I mean really like it or it just be so-so, definitely not offensive or disliked at all.
Bespoke, wow. I like it, but it may be too much for me. The biggest thing I recognize there is an incense-like smell. My nose is not at all accustomed to scents though, very limited exposure/palette.
The bay rum is nice. I think after smelling this one as well as Stirling's I am just not a bay rum guy. Again, not offensive or disliked, just not my thing. I could take it or leave it and there's too much out there that's fantastic to buy something I'm not thrilled about.
So back to the lather... I was entirely blown away by this, so much so... I had to take some pictures.
This is how small the containers are. I don't have giant sized hands, I'm guessing they're just a little over an inch in diameter
The tips of the 1460 brush after "loading". You can see I didn't even make a dent in the (very soft) soap.
This is after swirling for 10 seconds with just the leftover water after dumping out the bowl.
Here's after adding maybe 6-8 drops of water and another 20 seconds of swirling
This is another 60 seconds and another 12-15 drops of water
Continued next post...
I couldn't help myself and had to lather all of them to really get the scents. I am on a 3017 stint with a sample of Stirling Spice so didn't shave with any but can't wait to.
WOW they are amazing!!!
Looking at the containers I was thinking I'd have to transfer to a bowl of some kind to load a brush but for tonight just wanted to waken up the scents so squiggled my brush on the little 1" diameter opening for maybe 15 seconds. I was expecting to wipe around some minimal suds in the lather bowl and then HOLY CRAP, I seriously got enough lather for probably a 2 pass shave! This is what I've read the MdC guys talk about but I couldn't believe it until I saw it. John has done an amazing job on the soap.
The scents are fantastic as well. They all have a high quality feel to the scents. I suspect that has something to do with the use of EO instead of FO. If that's the case it shows and it's worth it, in my opinion. If it has nothing to do with that then John is even more talented with scents than my notes below reflect.
Here are my short and untrained notes/thoughts. They're also in order of my current preference. That could easily change as I get to using all of them for shaving.
Vanilla/eucalyptus/mint is the most pleasing to me initially, and not surprisingly since all three of those are things I enjoy the scent of. I really like it. The eucalyptus seemed to take over, or maybe is just the only one to remain, while lathering it. All three seemed pretty equal smelling right off the soap.
The woody lavender is a surprise, I could see myself really latching onto that one when I spend some more time with it.
I fully expected to dislike Topanga Fougère but it was very interesting and could go either way. By either way I mean really like it or it just be so-so, definitely not offensive or disliked at all.
Bespoke, wow. I like it, but it may be too much for me. The biggest thing I recognize there is an incense-like smell. My nose is not at all accustomed to scents though, very limited exposure/palette.
The bay rum is nice. I think after smelling this one as well as Stirling's I am just not a bay rum guy. Again, not offensive or disliked, just not my thing. I could take it or leave it and there's too much out there that's fantastic to buy something I'm not thrilled about.
So back to the lather... I was entirely blown away by this, so much so... I had to take some pictures.
This is how small the containers are. I don't have giant sized hands, I'm guessing they're just a little over an inch in diameter
The tips of the 1460 brush after "loading". You can see I didn't even make a dent in the (very soft) soap.
This is after swirling for 10 seconds with just the leftover water after dumping out the bowl.
Here's after adding maybe 6-8 drops of water and another 20 seconds of swirling
This is another 60 seconds and another 12-15 drops of water
Continued next post...
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